India’s Tur Imports Rise 44% in Jan-Aug 2026 Amid Drought Concerns in Key Producing States

India’s tur imports rose by 44 percent in the first eight months of calendar 2026, according to data collated by the India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA). Total imports during the January-August period stood at 6.25 lakh tonnes, compared to 4.34 lakh tonnes during the same period in the previous year.

The increase in imports coincides with concerns over drought conditions in parts of key producing states such as Maharashtra and Karnataka, which are impacting the kharif 2026 crop. Despite these production concerns, both desi and imported tur prices eased slightly over the past two weeks across major domestic markets.

Data from IPGA shows that imports from Mozambique led the volume at over 2.29 lakh tonnes during the January-August period. Purchases from Myanmar stood at over 1.52 lakh tonnes, followed by Tanzania at 1.10 lakh tonnes, Sudan at 71,808 tonnes, and other origins contributing 61,138 tonnes.

During the week ending October 24, both desi and imported tur prices declined for the second consecutive week. IPGA attributed the subdued buying to lower Myanmar CNF offers, rupee appreciation, weak demand, and tight liquidity. Tur dal prices fell by about ₹200 to ₹300 per quintal in markets like Gulbarga and Akola, while imported African tur prices at Mumbai eased by ₹50 to ₹150 per quintal.

According to IPGA, most festive demand has already been covered, and lower dal prices have limited mills' willingness to raise raw tur bids, keeping purchases need-based. However, selling pressure has remained limited due to lower kharif crop expectations, worsening drought conditions in Maharashtra and southern states, and lower-than-expected imports from Africa. Expectations of higher prices next season are also discouraging stockists and traders from selling aggressively.

In key producing regions like Kalaburgi in drought-hit Karnataka, growers are awaiting rain to rescue the standing crop. Farmers have stated that at least one or two spells of rain are needed to revive the crop where planting has taken place. Meanwhile, total tur acreage during kharif 2026 saw a 1.3 percent increase, reaching 47.25 lakh hectares compared to 45.95 lakh hectares in the corresponding period of the previous year.

"The 44 percent rise in tur imports highlights how agricultural supply chains must adapt to weather disruptions and crop uncertainties in domestic producing states like Maharashtra and Karnataka. While prices have eased slightly in the short term due to subdued demand and currency factors, underlying concerns about the kharif crop and lower African imports are keeping market sentiment cautious. For agribusinesses and traders, navigating this volatility requires close monitoring of both international shipping trends and regional weather patterns as the agricultural season progresses." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes